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How to Lock Safe Notes Privacy Protector on iPhone

iOS 18 Face ID lock and Hidden folder · Marco Troncone · checked November 2026

Time needed
4 taps
Needs iOS 18 or later

Works for Safe Notes Privacy Protector whether or not it has its own passcode. No download needed.

Short answer

Touch and hold Safe Notes Privacy Protector's icon, tap Require Face ID, then confirm. On iOS 18 and later that puts Safe Notes Privacy Protector behind Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode; choose Hide and Require Face ID instead to move it into App Library's Hidden folder as well.

Lock Safe Notes Privacy Protector with Face ID

  1. Find Safe Notes Privacy Protector on your Home Screen or in App Library.
  2. Touch and hold the icon until the quick-actions menu opens.
  3. Tap Require Face ID (or Require Touch ID / Require Passcode, depending on your iPhone).
  4. Tap Require Face ID again to confirm. Safe Notes Privacy Protector now asks for authentication every time it opens.

To test it, close Safe Notes Privacy Protector from the App Switcher and open it again. You should see the Face ID prompt before any content appears.

Hide Safe Notes Privacy Protector in App Library

  1. Touch and hold Safe Notes Privacy Protector's icon and tap Require Face ID.
  2. Choose Hide and Require Face ID instead of Require Face ID.
  3. Confirm. The icon leaves your Home Screen and moves to the Hidden folder at the bottom of App Library.
  4. To open it later, swipe to App Library, tap Hidden and authenticate.

Hiding also locks the app. To undo either, touch and hold the icon again and choose Don't Require Face ID.

Why lock Safe Notes Privacy Protector?

Safe Notes Privacy Protector's privacy label lists location — the kind of data you would not want on screen if someone borrows your unlocked phone. Notes apps quietly collect some of your most personal writing. 'Encrypted' can mean encrypted in transit, at rest on the server, or end-to-end — only the last keeps the developer out.

Utilities range from calculators to VPNs, so their labels vary more than any other category. A simple tool that collects identifiers and usage data for tracking is a sign of advertising SDKs.

A lock answers one question — who can open the app on this iPhone. It does not change what Safe Notes Privacy Protector sends to its developer; for that, see Safe Notes Privacy Protector's full privacy report.

What the lock does and does not do

It does

  • Ask for Face ID, Touch ID or passcode every time Safe Notes Privacy Protector opens
  • Hide message previews in notifications
  • Keep Safe Notes Privacy Protector's content out of Spotlight and Siri suggestions
  • With Hide, remove the icon from the Home Screen

It does not

  • Stop someone who knows your passcode
  • Encrypt or change how Safe Notes Privacy Protector stores data
  • Sync to your iPad or other devices
  • Remove Safe Notes Privacy Protector from purchase history or Screen Time reports

Don't see Require Face ID?

  • Update to iOS 18 or later in Settings › General › Software Update.
  • Make sure a passcode is set in Settings › Face ID & Passcode; the lock needs one.
  • Some Apple apps (Settings, Calculator, Camera, Maps, Find My, Clock) cannot be locked or hidden.
  • If your iPhone is managed by work or school, the option may be restricted.

Other settings worth checking for Safe Notes Privacy Protector

  1. Tracking

    Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking. If “Allow Apps to Request to Track” is off, apps cannot ask, and they are told to treat you as having declined. You can also turn it off for this app alone.

  2. Location

    Settings › Privacy & Security › Location Services › Safe Notes Privacy Protector. Choose While Using or Never, and switch off Precise Location if a city-level answer is enough.

  3. Notifications

    Settings › Notifications › Safe Notes Privacy Protector › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.

Safe Notes Privacy Protector's full privacy label

App Privacy label Developer-reported · checked November 1, 2026
Used to track you
4types
Linked to you
4types
Not linked to you
1type

Is Safe Notes Privacy Protector safe? Every data type explained →

Lock these apps too

After you lock Safe Notes Privacy Protector

Tick what you have done
Tick each step as you do it on your iPhone.

Done. You have applied every control the label points to.

FAQ

Does Safe Notes Privacy Protector have its own passcode?
Some apps offer an in-app PIN or biometric lock in their settings. The App Store privacy label does not say whether Safe Notes Privacy Protector does; the iOS 18 lock works regardless.
What happens to Safe Notes Privacy Protector's notifications when it is locked?
Locked and hidden apps do not show message previews or content in notifications, and their content does not appear in Spotlight search or Siri suggestions.
Can someone who knows my passcode open a locked app?
Yes. If Face ID fails, the lock falls back to your device passcode. Keep the passcode private if the lock matters to you.
Is a locked Safe Notes Privacy Protector encrypted?
The lock controls who can open the app on this iPhone. It does not change how the app stores or syncs data. Encryption depends on the developer and on your device passcode.
Why can't I see the Require Face ID option?
You need iOS 18 or later. Some Apple apps such as Settings, Calculator, Maps and Camera cannot be locked or hidden.
Does hiding Safe Notes Privacy Protector remove it from my purchase history?
No. Hidden apps still appear in App Store purchases and in Settings › Apps, and Screen Time reports still include them.

Is Safe Notes Privacy Protector safe? Full privacy report →Does Safe Notes Privacy Protector track you? →Lock an app: A–Z →All utilities apps →

Facts on this page come from Apple: lock or hide an app on iPhone, as reported by the developer. Checked November 2026. How we collect data · Report a correction